Three members of family shot in the West Bank store they owned

STAFF PHOTO BY SUSAN POAG
It was back to business as usual Friday, June 15, 2007 for Walid Thabata, owner of Two New York Fashions in Harvey, who was one of three members of his family shot Thursday night by four shoplifters. His 12-year-old son and Walid's 72-year-old father were also shot. All three had non-life threatening wounds. Thabata said he recognized the gunman and others from previously shopping in the store and that he had given them clothing before.

From staff reports

A 12-year-old boy, his father and grandfather were shot by one of four shop-lifters they confronted Thursday night in the clothing store owned by the family, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office said.

The gunman and his three accomplices escaped.

The names of the victims, members of a family that a sheriff's office spokesman said owned the New York Hip-Hop store, 2330 Lapalco Blvd., were not identified by authorities.

The 12-year-old boy and his 38-year-old father each suffered gunshot wounds to the arm, said Col. John Fortunato, sheriff's office spokesman. The boy's 72-year-old grandfather was shot once in the lower back.

The three were taken to University Hospital. "None of the wounds were life-threatening," Fortunato said.

The owners told police that four people who appeared to be in their late teens or early 20s began shop-lifting clothes in the store about 8:45 p.m., shortly before closing-time, Fortunato said.

One or more of the owners had words with the alleged shoplifters, one of whom drew a small-caliber revolver and fired randomly at the two adults and the boy, striking each one time.

The attackers dropped the clothes they had taken just outside the store as they fled, Fortunato said.